This invention relates to a scooter lift for a minivan and, in particular, to an improved internal lift for loading a scooter into a minivan and unloading a scooter from a minivan.
A variety of small motorized scooters have been developed to carry a seated person through areas intended for pedestrian traffic. These scooters are battery powered, ride on either three or four small wheels, and are relatively compact but can be rather heavy because of the battery and electric motor. Unlike powered or unpowered wheelchairs, motorized scooters are usually not driven into a van or other vehicle with a person seated on the scooter. Rather, a lift is provided for attaching a scooter to the van for traveling long distances. Such lifts are either external, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,361 (Peterson) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,107 (Bruno), or internal, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,700 (Lin et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,282 (Bechler et al.). External lifts typically have a fold-down platform for receiving the scooter. An internal lift is essentially a small derrick mounted in the rear portion of a vehicle.
Ignoring aesthetics, and until now the industry appears to have ignored aesthetics, there are two basic problems with designing an internal lift. One problem is the variation among scooters that must be accommodated by the lift. A second problem is the changing interior shape of minivans and other vehicles suitable for carrying a scooter. The problem is particularly acute for minivans and smaller sport utility vehicles because the interior space is largely filled by a scooter, leaving precious little room for the lift.
An interior lift includes a post and a boom. A cable extends down from somewhere along the boom for coupling to the scooter to be lifted. Designing a boom and post to fit all vehicles is a significant challenge, even if xe2x80x9call vehiclesxe2x80x9d is limited to a particular category, such as minivans. The solution to date has been to have a sliding member and a fixed member for at least the boom. The sliding member includes a plurality of holes by which the length of the boom can be adjusted. Such construction is prone to rattles and compromise fits at best.
The location of the post affects the length of the boom, which is limited by the width of the vehicle and the size of the scooter. The boom must locate the scooter approximately in the center of the vehicle for transport yet be long enough to extend well past the rear bumper for placing the scooter on the ground. Newer minivans are much less square than older vans. The result is that sloping roof line limits the height of the post. Newer minivans also include a large molding along the outer edge of the rear deck, forcing the lift to be located further from the rear bumper. If the post is located farther away from the rear bumper, then the boom must be longer for the scooter to clear the bumper. As indicated before, the boom cannot be arbitrarily long.
A solution of sorts has been to use a short post and a non-horizontal boom, perhaps making the boom from a perforated sliding member and a fixed member; see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,700 (Lin et al.) or U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,282 (Bechler et al.). The boom extends diagonally across the rear window of the vehicle and interferes with rearward vision or extends forward into the passenger space of the vehicle. An alternative is the use of a boom extension, which is awkward to use. It is known in the art to pivot the boom about an axis displaced from the axis of the post; see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,547 (Bruno et al.) Segmenting a boom in this way increases its length but does not simplify or improve storage. The Bruno et al. patent uses a removable post, which simplifies storage to some extent but also means the apparatus must be set up and taken down each time it is used, which is not very convenient and may be impossible for someone needing a scooter for mobility.
If a beam is made from lightweight materials so as not to interfere with rearward visibility, then the beam must be supported somewhere along its length. The beam cannot simply be cantilever mounted to the post. Such support adds to the mechanical complexity of the lift and detracts from the appearance of the lift.
In view of the foregoing, it is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved internal scooter lift for a minivan.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lift having a cantilever mounted boom.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lift having a cantilever mounted boom that is easily and precisely adjusted in elevation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lift that conforms to the shape of the rear of a minivan.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lift that has a substantially horizontal boom attached to a post located within the sloping rear section of a vehicle near the rear bumper.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lift that minimally obstructs rearward visibility in a minivan.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lift that does not require a boom extension to clear the rear bumper of a vehicle.
The foregoing objects are achieved in this invention in which a scooter lift includes a post and boom made from a single piece of curved pipe. The boom further includes an arm that is rotationally adjustable about the pipe to provide small, incremental changes in elevation. Incremental rotational adjustment is achieved by a plate attached to the pipe and having a first set of holes that align with second set holes in the angular portion. The holes are drilled in a pattern that provides a vernier-like adjustment of position. The post is mounted on a base such that at least some of the post overlies a point outside the footprint of the base.